Power-transmission mechanism



Jan. l, 1929. i 1,697,628

. Pf ASMUSSEN POWER TRANSMISSION Mcmmsu Filed seb. 23. '1928 z Sharps-snee; 1

Figi.

Pezf'Hsma/ssefz y Stumm-14a, y

P. ASMUSSEN POWER TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Jan. l, 1929. 1,697,628 v Filed Feb. 23, 192 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AlO 'PatentedJam l, 1929.

PETER AsMussnN, Aor SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. l

POWER-TANSMISSION MECHANISVM.

Application led February 23, 1928. Serial No. 9,516,201.

Myinvention rela-tes to power transmission mechanism, and more especially to devices intended for interposition between the clutch and the ldriven element ina power transmission line,whereby the prime mover may be relieved' of any excess load, tending to slow it downto4 the point where there is danger of Y stallingit, -and whereby a load may be automatically picked up again as the prime. mover gains in speed. j

It is a primary object of my invention to providemeans intended to'be interposed between the prime mover andthe driven object, whereby, as excess loads arev placed on the driven member, tendingfto slow down or stop the prime mover, the connection between thetwo is interrupted, but is automatically resumed again when the prime mover has gainedV additional speed, thus placing it in positionto overcome the retardation of the excess load or resistance.

Vhile my device will be conjunction with electrically driven power lines, as a means of avoiding the frequent operation of an overload relay when the motor is subjected toexcess loads, itis my principal obj ect, specifically, to employ such transmission Vmeans between the internal combustion engine of an automobile and the drive wheels, whereby, if the engine commences y.to labor, as the vehicle is driven up a steep hill, or by reason of. ian excess load, the engine will be automatically relieved of the load and will be permitted to speed up and then again connected to the drive wheels, this increase in speed tending-to overcomethe dragging effectonthe motor of the vehicle or load. j

l Stated'otherwise, it is my object to provide automatic means, preferably governor oontrolled, and interposed between thevdri'ving and driven shafts; thesel automatic means being divided Vinto two elements, one controlled by the engine speed and the other controlled by the vehicle speed as related to the engine speed, whereby at 'speeds below a minimum vehicle speed, corresponding to an vengine speed so low that" there may be danger of stalling, the connect-ion between the engine and the drive wheels will be broken, and

' whereby connection is made frictionally, yet

not positively between the engine and the found useful in driving wheels, this increasing at allspeeds i y up to the point where the -iirst-named-Ineans i becomes operative. j l

It is a further object to prov-ide means which are simple, inexpensive, reliable, easily adjustable and'thoroughly automatic, and l.

one'which normally requires no expenditure of power, forthe accomplishment ofthe ends outlined alcove.A

v My invention comprises the novel parts and the novel combinationv and arrangement thereof as shown in the -accompanying drawings, described in the specification, and par@ ticularly defined bythe claims terminating-` the same. i

' In theaccompanying drawings fl` have shown my invention 1n aform which is nowi preferred by me..

;. Figure l` is 1n general an axial section,

through my device, taken substantiallyonthe Y linel-l, of Figure 2. i e l g Figure 2 is atransverse section on the line 2*-2 ofFigurel.

Figure 3 isa transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure l. i While I have not illustrated the gasoline or other internal combustion engine, the ordinary transmission or theclutch, all of whichlare intended to be employed, nor haverI shown the vehicle drive means, such'asthe differential, rear axle and the like, which form part of the usual motor vehicle, it maybe understood that these are ally to be employed, and

that the mechanism which I will proceed to e describe is Van additional 'element intended to be inserted between :the ordinary transmisj sionand the rear wheels, ordinarily-between the transmission and the diferentia'l. Thusl Secured upon the drivelshaft l isa gear y Vwhich meshes with gear 2.on transverse shaft 20; for compactness these gears 10 and 2 may vbe spiral gears, but mustbe such that the gear 10 will'j drive the gear 2 more rapidly than the gearlO,-` In other words there/is ag'speeding` up ofthe shafts'20, ofwhich two are.

preferably provided to achieve proper balalice. These shafts 20 are suitably journaled at 2l, which journals are carried in a frame 4, the support for which and the connections to which will be described hereinafter. The shaftsV 20V each carry gears 22, preferably at opposite ends, as will be seen. in Figure 2, which gears 22 mesh with gears 5 upon longitudinally extendingshafts 50. As in the case of the gears l() and 2, the gears 22 and 5 may be spii'al gears, thus affording compactness, while speeding up the shaft over the speed of the lshaft 20. Any other suitable form of gearing may be employed, however, between the shafts 1 and 50. f

The shafts 50 are journaled at 31 and 32 in bearings formed in a housing 30, which housfing supports the frame 4 and is keyed or othei'wise secured to the driven shaft 3. Removable plates 33 (see Figures 2 and 3) may be employed to form part of the housing. 30 and to permit access to the mechanism contained therein, for adjustment, inspection or replacement of parts. By this arrangement it will be understood that .the various gears 22. 5 and 2,*and the mechanism pertaining thereto, will allb'e revolved bodily with the housing 30, which supports their shafts, this revolution being about theaxis of the driven 'shaft 3, which, however, V'is Vshown in this embodiment as in alignment with the axis of the driving shaft 1. Also, each of these gears and their shafts will, at times, have its own rotation uponits own aXis, independently of its bodily revolution aroundfthe axis of the shafts 1 and 3.

l videdwith a squared portion V51 on' which is slidable y a sleeve carrying a disk 6. There is also secured to each shaft 50 a coll-ar 52 and a disk 6 formed thereon and rotating both of the disks 6 and 6', as the context may indicate.

The disk 6 and its sleeve 60 are freely slidable longitudinally of the squared portion 51 of the shaft 50, and thismovement is controlled by means' forming, in effect a centrifugal governor, and consisting of the weights 61 supported on spring straps 62 extending from a connection at 53 to the collar 52, and'at 63 to the sleeve 60. Rotation of the shaft50.

. which is driven from the engine, at high speed,

will cause a tendency for the disk 6 to api proach the disk 6, and this tendency may be controlled, and the independent rotation of all parts driving the disk'6 may be slowed. down,

by providing a fix-ed clutch element 7 comple mental thereto, and which is frictionally engaged therewith.

Such a clutch element is shown as comprising a shoe,frictionally engageablewith the disk6, and supported ina bracket 4t? in the frame el, in such a manner that its position with respect to the normal .position ofthe disk 6 may be adjusted. llllien engaged with the disk 6, itwill tend to slow down the same,

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housing'30, .which supports this, to the rdriving shaft 1. shaft 1 in excess of the speed ofthe driven shaft 3, the shaft 5() and its drive connections Vwillliave independent rotation on their own Thus, for a speed ofthe motor axes, and there will be a clutching tendency developed between the elements 6 and 7, which will tend to equalize thev speed of the shafts 1 and 3. This effect is producedfollowing release of the normal driving connection, to be described, between these shafts, and. a subsequent speeding up of the engine.

The connection between the Vclutch elements 6 and 7 is not apositive one, as has been explained heretofore, but a frictional one which permits slipping.

10o A However, it is desired to provide a positive connection between these two shafts 1 and 3 for the higher vehicle speeds. Inasmuch as the connection described herctofore between the elements 6 and 7 rotates the housing 30, andthereby causes afcentrifugal effect upon all of the devices contained therein, I propose to take advantage of this in the formation of a Vpositive clutch between the two shafts 1 and 3, so thatl at all vehiclespeeds aboveY a pedetermined 7 V,minimum (for example the lowest speed at which the vehicle will travel in high gear),

there will be a direct vand positive connection between the driving shaft land the driven shaft 3.

Thus, I provide a Aweight 8 supported .at

the end of the longer armBOV of a bell crank lever, this lever being pivoted at 33 upon a collar 341-, secured upon thedriven shaft 3. The second arm 8l. of the levercarries a. shoe which is engageable with the clutch disk 6".

Upon attaining. a given speed of rotation the shaft 3 will exert such a centrifugal effect upon the weight 8 that it will be thrown outward to aposition indicated in dotted` lines in Figure l, in opposition to the force of a compression spring-.82, the force of which ifeveaaa Y i f i' i is: adjustable, as indicated fat 83. alhewveight '2;83is suitably guided,l'asl bygguide'vwallsfl -sup- Yported-sbyfitlieframef j 4 .Nowasgthehousingdgains speedithrough thev engagementb etweenathe clutch yelem-ents z 6 vand 7,;*th'e centrifugal force ivill,:in time (corresponding to a selected `minimum speedfof '.the vehicle ,f cause 'tlienveiglit f8 ,to move 1 out- ,Warduntil `theshoe y:8l is iirinly :.pressed ,against the fclutcA-h: disln., which' itwvill bereaiiieinhered, has-its:independentsrotationfrom ithe engine, with the "clutchdislrt. This cenl".trifugal ,effect `will ^feventu.ally =be suflicient athatirotation ofthe disk y6 will be'vstopped. The effect of thisis simply topositively clutch vthe shaftsl and Bftogetherfso that they rotate .atthe` same speed, andthe clut-ching effect be- -ztween the shoe Slaandithedisk "6 willcontinuesolong 'asthe shafts l aiid l3 are rotating substantially a'tfsuch-speed l.-aszdoessnot below that corresponding'to the lowest @speedl at 4,Whichf the avehicle will travel in high gear. 1 l n 1 When the speed-.ofithervehicle drops below k7this selected speed, Lwhichvoff, course can 'be determined by y"adjustment ofthe :compression ofthespringsythe engagementl ofthe :shoes `8livill :be released, andthe uveights '8 will 4fall back. toward their. iulllineV position of Fig. ll. Thislpermits rotation of the disk "6T, .and of courseolf the dislrftherotation Vof `which had `been vstopped when t rotation of the dislr f6 ywas.stoppecbcand Fthjis rrenewed rota- :tion of the dislr 6b andgearingr connected there to will permitrspeeding upof the shaft-1,1111- ;tilitsspeed liasrisento afpointivvhere the elements Gvand Tiagainclutch 'with sufficient -ef vinatic. idownfto la'point where it awould tend atokill 'feettoyproducefrotationf ofthe housing 30, to

aan extent .to yre-engage `vtheshoe :8l l*with the disk` a "lhusfit will be seen that' the action iis auto-V -As ythe speed fof :the vehiclefslows `the engine, ywere lthey Vdirectly -.connected,

' clutching ofthe eleinentsand Tftliisfresult- Y there will be a release of t-he clutch elements 81;and-6., but this `ywill :immediately ber'fol-v lowed 'by `a f speeding `up of the engine -and ing eventually ina-speeding up yof the Avehicle vto an Aextent -suflicientfto ire-engage the posi- Y' tive'clutchaelements h8l'aiid,:then causing .a release of the clutchelements-6:and .7,fby

1 :reason offtlieir` losing :tlieirindependent rotaition. These :act-ions, occurring. automatically,

inalie'it v`unnecessary for thel driver-'to release -his clutch: and slip fit, orto sliiftgears,sorlong as; there can'beI any tendencyto-drive between the clutch elementsf-andfi'. The acti'onis,=in

- effect, slipping of :the @clutch vto permit `the yengine'to speed rip-,and are-engagement auto- ,-ii1'atically after the :engine li-as speeded up.

ADuring all normaloperation ofthe vehicle ithei-'eareno moving parts infmy. transmission,

' and all parts .revolve bodily withthe housing .30, ibut'Without independent irotation.. flt

yzfollovvsfthaty there canabe'ano floss of gpo'wer,

Lintheeordinarygeartransmission :Let it :be 'assumed 'that `the :vehiclefisgo-V y ing up .afsteep ihill, andfsloves down to an ein fis ,the governors 61 to v'throivinto f engagement ,thelutchfel'ements 6 and 7, tending'thento .rotate thehousing .30. Asthese elements -will be so constructed f and: adj usted' thatfthey will alwaysslip to a certaineXtent,tlie clutching effeetwill never'be so great as'toftend to stall thegengine. It .may lbe-fincreased, `when de- Y si-red, by *feeding more fuelkto '.the-aengine-f:

:speedingit up,fbut atghigh: engine-speeds there is noV danger o'f stalling, :hence the. greater clutching effect Ythus produced :merely yapplieszrtozthe driven' shaft as much 'poweras'it Vcan absorb, and the effectfissimilarto that f obtained by shifting fto a. lower gear, yet-.the entire controlliessintheathrottle.

V'Vl/That I .claimv'a-s my .invention iis:

ment therebetween comprising a :housing secured tothe driven shaft to'revolvetherewith; 'a .rotative clutch ii-ieiiiber supported li Inl combination withfa driving :and a y. driven shaft, f an .automatic `transmission ele# .sa f

within said housing to revolve bodilytherei y with.` and to iliaveyfindependent rotation upon its owiraXis, drivem'eans connecting the drivin'gshaft withsaidrotativezinember, a-goverynor likewise" driven from saidl driving shaft,

-saidfgovern'or `being adapted-to control said rotative ,clutch member `for vfrictionally clutching fthe K same to the housing `at engine speeds above a ,predetermined f minimum.

w2. An. automatic ytransmissioii -element lasl 'in vclaim f1, a secondzrotative'member supxported 4vwithinfthefhousing and driven from v1115 the driving,shaft,a secondgovernor driven fromthe driven shaft, anda-clutch member controlled Iby saidsecondgovernor, and engageable with said second rotative member at vehi cle speeds labove a predetermined *minimum.4 4 j Tn combination-with .a `drivinjgfand -a drivenV ashaft, lan automatic transmission 'ele- Ament interposed therebetween comprising ya revoluble housing, operatively connected to ff rotate with the driven shaft, a governor `:therein yoperatively .connected to :be driven vfrom the driving-shaft, a clutchelement oper-` atively connected to said housing, a second governor in usaid :housing-` operatively! .con-

Y nected to be driven from the 'driven shaft,vv a

second clutch` member connected to said second governor, and shiftable means Journaled within said casing and operatively con f "housing to revolve therewith, and to rotate independently thereof ,on its own axis fdrive means connecting the driving shaft with said rotative clutch member, complemental means, one associated with said housing, and .one

operable byV rotation of said rotative clutch member to interengage and cause rotation of the housing and driven shaft, a governor driven from the driven shaft, andk a clutch member controlled by said governor to release said rotative clutch member at vehicle speeds below a predetermined minimum.

'5. The combination with a driving shaft andy a driven shaft, of two kclutch elements,

two governors, one driven from Athe driving shaft and the other driven from the driven shaft, and clutch means engageable .with said two clutch elements, an operable connection between said clutch means and the `driving 7 shaft, said governors controlling engagement Vbetween the clutch means and the respective clutch elements. Y

6. The combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft, of two clutch elements, two governors, one driven fioni the driving shaft and the other driven from the driven shaft, clutch meanswengageable selectively with one or the other of said two clutch elej`inents, said clutch means being operably connected with said drive shaft, said governors being selectively operable to control engagef ment between vthe clutch means andthe respective clutch elements in accordance with the engine and vehicle speeds, respectively.

7. In combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a rotatable housing, a disk `iournaled therein, drive means between the driving shaft and said disk, acontact shoe supported in said housing, a lgovernor, and

means initiated by rotation ofthe driving shaft for rotatingthe governor, and vmeans,

operable from said governor forV bringing said Vshoe and4 disk into contact to clutch together vthe driving shaft and said-housing,

u the housing being rotatable with the driven 1 i 8. In combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a rotatable housing, va disk journaled therein, a contact shoe supported in said housing, drive means connecting'said driving shaft with the disk` tov rotate the Y latter, a governor `likewise driven from the driving shaft, and means operable from said governor for bringing'said shoe and disk into contact to clutch together the driving shaft and the housing, said housing being rotatable Vwith the driven shaft.

9. In combination with a driving shaft and a driven shaft, a housing rotatable with the driven shaft, a disk journaled therein, drive means connecting said driving shaft and the disk, a contact shoe supported in said housing, a centrifugal governor mounted in and operable .upon rotation of said housing, means operable from said governor for bringing said shoe and disk together :to connect fthe driving shaft'and driven shaft through `the housing rotatable with the latter, and means operable from the driving shaft for initiating u rotation of said housing. l

10. In combination with a drivinvi shaft and a driven shaft, a housing rotatable Vwith the driven shaft, two centrifugal governors mounted therein, one connected to the driving shaft to be drivenitherefrom, and theother driven from the housing itself, two pairs of clutch elements interposed between the driving shaft and the housing rotatable with the driven shaft, means controlled by the first governor to bring the rstpair of clutch elee Vments into engagement to yinitiatev rotation of the housing, and means controlled by the second governor to engage the second pair of clutch elements to positively connect the two shafts, upon the attainment of a selected minimum speed of rotation bythe housing under the vinfluence of the first clutch.

11. A transmission element as in'claim. 10, the vtwo clutches having a member of one krotatable with the corresponding member of the other, and connected to the first governor, whereby engagement of the second clutch pair stops the rotation of the first governor and releases the first clutch, controlled thereby f 12. A transmission element as in claim 10,`

including means for regulating the 4maximum engagement of each governor to occur at a selected'speed of its driving menber.

13. In combination with a driving vand a driven shaft, anautomatic transmission clement interposed therebetween, comprising a revoluble housing secured to the driven shaft to revolve therewith, ,twofrotative clutch members revoluble with the housing and ro-V tatable about an axis independent ofthe housiao ing, in which they Vare journaled, operable f connection between said rotative clutch members and the .driving shaft, 'two' clutch ele-` ments, one of which is fixed in said housing, the other pivotally securedfm said housing, two governors, one ofwhich is driven from the driving shaft and adapted to `engage one of said clutch members with said fixed clutch element, the other governor lbeing ydriven meme@ from the driven shaft and fixedly connected to said pivoted clutch element to engage the other dutch member, the governor controlled by the driving shaft being adapted through its Clutch memberand element to control engagement between the driving and driven shaft at engine speeds above a predetermined minimum, the other governor being driven from thedriven kshaft through its clutch element and memberto break engagement. 10 between the shafts at vehicle speedsv below a v predetermined minimum.

Signed at Seattle, King County, Washington, this 15th day of February, 1928.

PETER ASMUSKSEN'. 

